Palin: GOP presidential race 'getting closer to the end'

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," April 3, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

SEAN HANNITY, HOST: We go back and welcome Governor Palin to New York. You didn't join the lame stream media when you were on the "Today Show" today, were you?

SARAH PALIN, FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: I had a blast with them this morning, it was fun. They said nice things about Fox too, good things about all of you.

HANNITY: Well, you showed a great sense of humor. We'll show some clips in a few minutes and we'll ask you about it. Let me first start with, there is a vote out tonight and right now, the exit polls show that Governor Romney is also winning in Wisconsin. That would be a sweep for the night. He's had a pretty significant lead. Do you think this is getting close to the end?

PALIN: The numbers show that it's getting closer to the end. Interesting, I spoke with Dana Perino, she is sharp. I spoke with her in the greenroom right before coming on set. And Dana and I kind of agreed here that especially there in Wisconsin, it looks like despite what I have been preaching for last few months that endorsements don't mean anything, perhaps in that Wisconsin race, the endorsements did mean something. It was quite significant that rolled out this last week. Romney did receive some very high profile endorsements and I think reflected in the polls and in those numbers tonight. We'll see them.

HANNITY: Yes. What they found is over six in 10 conservatives in Wisconsin thought that the endorsements were a factor.

PALIN: OK.

HANNITY: And over 41 percent of those conservative voters thought that they were an important factor. Look at the numbers. White evangelicals. Again, everything is broken down in the media along demographic lines and exit polls. But you have Romney carrying white evangelicals, 42-36 in Wisconsin. Forty five-35 in Maryland in the exit polls. Very conservatives 46-40, in Wisconsin, 43-37. Do you think he has turned the corner with conservatives?

PALIN: Well, in that state, it looks like that is an indication. Did they say anything about the women vote tonight? Because of course, many in mainstream media they are trying to make an issue out of this straw man, straw woman, this war on women that supposedly the GOP is waging. And making a big darn deal about that. I wonder if the poll numbers reflect that.

HANNITY: We don't have the final polling on it but he was leading if you look at, you know, among just about every category. One thing that did come up was the issue of electability, that seems, and experience were big factor here. And the other thing is underscoring the importance of endorsements and the message to close the deal, 48 percent of voters in Wisconsin don't think he is conservative enough. Forty one percent in Maryland. And hence, that has been the battle almost from the very beginning. Romney versus non-Romney.

PALIN: Right.

HANNITY: Do you think it remains a factor? Is it for you personally?

PALIN: You know, I think it's going to remain a factor until those number of delegates have been solidified and there is no question that Romney is the nominee. And then you will see that support from the conservatives. Because conservatives and independent patriotic constitutional Americans understand we cannot afford four more years of Barack Obama. And many of us have said all along, anybody but Obama. And whomever that nominee will be, and yes, the numbers do look like it's going to be Mitt Romney, there will be that coalescing, that unity. And there will be so much enthusiasm.

HANNITY: You don't have any doubt that the Republicans, the Newt faction, the Santorum faction, the Paul faction and the Romney faction will all unite and that this will be united front against President Obama? You don't think there will be residual resentment or hostility?

PALIN: Thank God, I have no doubt in my mind. There will be -- there's no question, it will be unified. This support to oust Barack Obama at the ballot box in November, it will be strong, that unity.

HANNITY: There was talk about the potential, and it came up this week, that Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich might join forces, so as to no longer split from here on forward the non-Romney vote. What would you think of an idea like that?

PALIN: You know, I've said all along too, Sean, that anything is possible. But at this point, and I don't even pretend to understand how that establishment inside baseball stuff works, I don't want to know how all that stuff works. I don't want to know how all that stuff works. I just want to know that the voters are receiving all the fair information, the correct information that they need to make a good decision in this GOP nominating process. And the process is working the way that it should. Tough competition, rough and tumble. We had good debates and now we're seeing the fruits of all of their labor.

HANNITY: I agree with you. And I even argue that each of these candidates got a lot stronger.

PALIN: Yes.

HANNITY: In terms of the debating skills, the vetting I think in the end better now than later.

PALIN: Absolutely. Absolutely. They have all been strengthened. And you know, I said before that boiled egg is tough to beat. And whomever that nominee will be, they have been through hot water. They have been through a lot in this process in that arena. They are better candidates for it.

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